Pig-stacking machine



Nov. 13, 192s. 1,691,552

W. E. NEWNAM PIG STACKING MACHINE Fled arch so. 1922 i. 5 24 22 E .6. .L I f :T 2 I gli v j j u 1.-( u. WM

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Patented Nov. 13, 192e.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT o-FFicE.

will remove them from WILLIAM E. NEWNAM, 0F COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS, LAS-SIGNOR T0 NATIONAL COMPANY,.OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.-

rie-STACKING MACHINE.

Application led March 30, 1922. vSerial No. 548,056.

This invention relates to stacking machines, and more particularly tomachines for stacking pig lead and similar articles.

In the manufacture of pig lead, it is customary to run the molten lead into molds to form the same into so-called pigs. The molded pigs must thereafter be removedfromthe molds and deposited in some convenient place for storage. As the pigs are quite heavy, it is an expensive operation to remove them from the molds and stack them by hand. Furthermore, the pig molding is often done by machines in which the molds are arranged in gangs so that it is convenient to provide for handling the pigs in gangsby machines which them for storage.

One of the objects of thislinvention, there-v fore, is to provide a machine for removingthe pigs from the molds and depositing them in a suitable stack. l v.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby a pig in the mold may be taken hold of and drawn from the mold by the machine. Another `object of this invention is to provide convenient means for grasping a gang of pigs in a gang mold and removing the same from the mold, so as to deposit y the lead in a suitable stack. i

Another object of this invention is to p rovide novel means for engaging and holding a. Pig. v i,

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the acg companying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a side view of a ma-` chine embodying this invention; 1 l

- Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2,

Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3,`

Figure 1 Figure 4 is an enlarged section on yline 4-4,

Figure 2; and

Figure .5 is an enlarged detail of the spiral gears fonrotating the holding screws.

Referringv to the accompanying drawing, `1 designates the wheelor traveling-framexof a pig molding machine or other suitable means for supporting the pig mold 2.

Mounted adjacent the pig mold support or machine -011 a suitable upright support 3,

which may be xed to the floor andsuitably v braced against the wall, as indicated in the brace 4, is a vertically arranged air cylinder 5. The cylinder 5 may be suitably supported the molds and stack 0f strap hangers 15 is a frame 16 which carof the shaft 26 having bearings in the frameA 4upon a bracket 6 having a swivel connection 7 with the upright 3, so; that said cylinder may be swung about the upright 3 as a pivot. Suitable air and exhaust connections 8 and 9 may be provided for the cylinder 5 controlled by a suitable control valve operated by a manipulative handle 10. This arrangement provides an air hoist upon which the pig holding and extracting mechanismis mounted. Mounted upon and depending from the vplunger rod 11 of the cylinder 5 is a second air cylinder 12. This cylinder has suitable air connections to both-ends thereof supplied by an air hose 13 andlcontrolled by a valveV -operated by a handle 14.

, Suspended from the cylinder 12 by means ries'the pig holding devices.

. Mounted on the frame 116 is a pair of brachets 17 adapted to provide bearings for a suitable shaft 18. This shaft carries at its middle portion a pinion 19 adapted to engage a rack 20 on an 'angular extension 21 mounted upon and depending from a plunger rod 22 of the air cylinder 12. This extension is provided with iianges adapted to slide in a T-' groove in a vertical 'bracket 23 mounted on the frame 16. The bracket 23 provides a guide for the rack 2O in its, up and downv movement with the rod 22 so as to maintain said rack in proper engagement with the pinion 19. The shaft 18 carries at its extremity a ear 24 meshing with a pinion 25 on thel end 16. The pinion 25 also meshes with a pair of idler pinions'27 mounted on each side' thereof on stub shafts mounted on theframe 16. t The pinions 27 in turn each mesh'with ap1n1on'28 mounted on shafts 29 extending `transversely across the frame 16, and having bearings therein in a manner similar to that described for the shaft 26. p V

Mounted at intervals along each-vof the shafts 29 andiixed thereto are aseries ofV spiral gears 30. These spiral gears 30 each mesh with a similar spiral gear 31 splined to a vertical spindle 32. y v

A plurality of these spindles 32 is provided. They are supported by'and have bearings in a pair of plates 33 and 34 mounted'upon and spanning the frame 16.. The plates 33 and 34 are spaced from one another vertically and the gears 31 are mounted between, them, each properly spaced by collars 35 and 36'.

adapted to engage a pair of lugs 39 extending There is a-bracket 41 for each ofthe spindlesy 'The spindles 32 are, therefore, arranged to be a threaded portion 37 adapted to engage a .threaded collar 38 resting onthe upper side of the plate 34and being provided with notches inwardly from the base 40 of the bracket 41.

32. Each bracket is provided with an upright extension 42 adapted to provide a houslng for a lspring 43 engagi g an adjustable lug 44, mounted in the upper part of the bracket 41, and engaging also the collar 38.

The spring 43 is provided to exert a down.

' -ward pressure on the spindle 32 for a urpose y anism vto just rdescribed, the device is raise 'l 'from the cylinder 5 so. that the whole weight of the apparatuswill restv upon the feet 48. f A 55 dle .14. Y The .plunger`A 22 is thereby downwardly sofas to rotate the pinion 19 in ly described, whereupon the which will be hereinafterdescribed. he lug 44 isv arranged for adjustment in the bracket 41 by'means of an adjusting screw 45 so that the spring. pressure may be varied at will. The lower end of each s indle 32 is provided 4with a chuck 46 adapte to receive an anchor 47 in the form of a'screw-point.

The spindles 32 are arranged in pairs across the frame 16. .Each pair is arrangedv to engage one of the pigs in a line alon' the middle of the pig. The p ate v33 is vrovided with ribs 48 arranged transversely ci) the frame 16 and adapted to provide feet or the entire mech- 4 rest upon when lowered upon the pig molds. The device operates as follows: The anl chors'47 are normally .held in retracted position by raising the piston in the cylinder 12 by. admission of air to the lower ortion thereof. This raises the plunger ro 22 and with it the rack 20, thereby rotatingl tha pinion 19,. the shaft 18, the gear 24 an through the,` train' o ears 25, 27, 28, 30 and 31, rotates the spin es 32. -'Rotation/of the spindles 32 in the collar 38 will c ause said spindles to be raised or retracted by the 'action of thescrew threads 37. j Y

vWith the anchors in retracted position, as by means of the hoist '5 when -itmay be. swung aboutthe pivots 7 to a osition over the pig-molds. It is-then lowere by exhausting the air from the cylinder 5 until the feet 48rest 1'1 on the pigmolds. The air 'is entirely e austed4 Air is now admitted-to the upper rtion` of the. cylinder 12 by InaIIPlation'ofo t plligtijlA the opposite direction to thatataken u` n retractlon ofthe anchors, 'as previous y de-.

scribed., 'Upon such movement, theY train off 27 28 30 and31 willbe o rated in the revlarse dii'ection to that previiiiisindles 32 will not only be caused to rotateJ t handed, 'but a HavinV vsaid carrier adapted to v means for mounting-saidcarrier for mampuv by the action of the screw threads in the nuts 38, the spindles ,willbe moved downwardly. U on s uch movement, the screw points -47Qvi l be forced to penetrate the pigs .49 in the molds; for since the pitch of the threads 37 corresponds to the pitch of the screw points, these will be positively fed into the pigs." If, however, anyone of the anchors should strike a high point on a pig?, then the stron spring 43 will give to compensate for such igh o1nt. The anchors 47 thus workto a position where the retracted plgs may be lowered upon the stack 50 .by means ofthe hoist 5. Upon depositingthe pigs on the stack 50, the handle 14 may agam be manipulated so as to admit air to the lower portonoii the cylinder 12, whereuon theI plunger22 4will be raised and the anc ors re'- tracted, as previously described, scras to re lease the pigs, leaving them u on the stack when the device is a ain lifte to be transferred to' a new set o pig molds and the operation repeated. `Since the cylinder 12 and the mechanism carried thereby can be turned with the rod 11 and its piston in the cylinder 5, and since the flexible hose 13 permits such movement, successive gangs` of igs may stacked -crosswise as lshown in lgurel.

`As the frame 1 may be part of a molding machine by which a series of the above describedgangs of molds may successively- ,Pi be brought to the delivery omt, the above 5105 described machine .is adap positivelyv enggge the pi to old thereon, and to positxvel draw the ige from the molds and prompt ydepost-t ein upon the stack.

tauickly and made in-details f construction without deis, therefore, to bev understood that this in' ventionv is not to be limited .to the specific de tails shown and` described.

isclaim isf Y. 1. A device for .stacking pigs, comprising, a support, a carrier, a yielding `screw on netrate the pi'g, and

lation onsaidsupport;

. 2. vAdevice'for stackin Aarticles, .comprismg, holding meansl provi ed with a springcontrolled screw, means for operatinv salde a secure\ be um l 1r- 'It is obvious-that various changes may be ne f thus described the invention, what4 Y."

screw to penetratetlie' article to ho d the same, and means forjliftingthe' held article and placing the same .in a

ai. Adema for hareas., @Pr'igfing, a holder havin a 'screw adapted to engage the article for olding the same, mechanism on said holder for rotating s aid screw, and a controller adapted upon manipulation to operate said mechanism to rotate said lscrew to engage the article, and upon further manipulation to operate said mechanism to (release the article.

4. A device for handling articles, comprising, a vholder having a springcontrolled screw adapted-to engage the article for holdving the saine, mechanism on said holder for rotating said screw, and a controller adapted upon manipulation to operate said mechanism to rotate said screw to engage the article, and upon further manipulation to operate said mechanism to release the article.

. 5. A device for handling articles, comprising, a holder having a screw adapted to engage the article for holding thesame, mechanism on said holder for rotating said screw,

lease the article,

"operating said anch a controller ada' ted' upon manipulation to operate said mec anism to rotate said screw to engage the article, and upon further manipulation to operate said mechanism to restack.

6. Inca machine of the character described having a pig mold, a carrier movable rela tively thereto, an anchor on ysaid carrier adapted to work into the pig, means for positioning said carrier in or er anchor over a pig in said mold, and means for operating said anchorto grip the pig.

, 7. In a machine of the character described' having a pig mold, a support, a carrier mov-v able relatively to said mold, a foot on said carrier adapted to Wo 'carrier adapted to engage the pig, an aninto the pig 1n order to attach the same to the carrier,

chor on sai and means for operating said anchor.

8. In a machine of the character described having a pig mold, a'support, a carrier movable relatively to said mold, a pair oanchors spaced along the pi and on said carrier dapted to work into t e pig in order to attach the same to the carrier, and means for ors.

9. In a machine of` the character described 1 having aseries of pig molds, a support,`a

carrier movable relatively to said molds, a series of anchor sets on said carrier, each set being arranged along a pig, and-means for operating said anchorsto work` into the p igs in order to attach the same to the carrier.

1.0, In `a machine of the character 'de i scribed having a plg mold, a carrier movable:

relatively thereto,anfanchorv on said carrier adapted to'work into the pig in order to atanda hoist adapted Vfor lifting the held article .to place the same in a to place saidr tach the same to-said carrier, and means for moving said carrier adapted to drawthe pig from the mold.

11. In aY machine of the character de'- scribed including moldingv mechanism and.

a series of adjacent ypig molds, a support,a carrier movable relatively-to said molds, a series of anchor sets on said carrier adapted .to work into the pigs in order to attach the said molds, a seri-es of anchor sets on saidcarrier Aadapted to work into the pigsl in order to attachthe same to said carrier, and

the character demeans for moving said carrier, constructed i and arranged toy simultaneously draw the pigs of a series from the molds.

13. In a machine of the character described having `a pig mold, a carrier, an anchor on said carrier. and adapted towork intothe top face of the pig While the carrier is sustained closely thereabove in order tol l I attached the samel thereto, and sustaining means for mounting saidl'carrier for manip-- ulation on said support.

14.In .a machine of the character de- I scribed having-a pig mold,a carrier, an anchor on said lcarrier and adapted to work l into the -pig in the mold in. order to iattach the same" to said carrier, and means for mounting said carrier for vertical and transverse movements on said support in" order r to' draw the pig from the'mold and place the sameinastac. f'

15. In a machine of the character. de-

- scribed having a pig mold, a carrier, an an- -chor on said carrier and adapted to 'work into the pig4 in the mold in order to attach the same tosaid carrier, means for mounting said carrierfor vertical and transverse `movements on said support, and. means for withdrawing said anchor.

16. In a 'machine of scribed having a pig mold, a carrier, an anchor on said carrier and ada ted to work into the pig in the'mold in or er. toattach the same to said carrier, means for mounting said the character debcarrier for vertical and transverse movert in order to draw the ments on said su pigfrom the i'no and' place the same in a stack, and means for withdrawing said an- ,I v

chor frmthe pig when the pig is stacked.

' In testimony whereof I aix my signature i this 14th day of March,"19-22. 

